Rochester Hills resident Mike Lerchenfeldt met his wife Sarah while in kindergarten, and they went to St. Dennis Catholic ChurchÕs catechism together. More than 20 years later, Sarah got to wear a white gown again on their wedding day.

From "kindergarten sweethearts" to late-in-life loves, several Oakland County residents know that, sometimes, love does last forever.

"We were in most of the same classes through fifth grade, and when we were in middle school, our lockers were right next to each other for those three years. After school, our parents would take turns driving us to catechism together at St. Dennis Catholic Church," said Mike.

They attended different high schools and colleges, but reconnected on Facebook during their senior year of college. He said when he saw her again after all that time, "I was astonished by her beauty."

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Mike proposed to Sarah at the main entrance of the elementary school where they first met, and they were married on Aug. 7, 2010.

"I love (Sarah) because she is a very caring person, an amazing listener and a hard worker. She inspires me everyday to give my best effort with my family, friends and career," Mike said.

Waterford Township resident Megan Verbeke, 24, has also known her fiancé Stephen Gerwolls since she was 5 years old. They met when they sat next to each other on the bus to Houghton Elementary School.

"We were elementary best friends, and we were inseparable until middle school," said Verbeke.

They both went on to Kettering High School, but, after graduating and attending different colleges, they drifted apart.

"I went on with life until June 4, 2010. I was at Miyako Japanese Steakhouse (in Auburn Hills) with my friend and in walked Stephen. It was his 22nd birthday dinner. We instantly connected, and I got his number," said Verbeke.

On Dec. 16, 2011, Gerwolls proposed to Verbeke while on vacation in South Carolina. She woke up in the morning and looked out the window to see the words, "Will you marry me?" written in the ocean sand.

Waterford Township residents Donna and Gregory Gary Stieber met their senior year of high school and started "going steady" on Valentine's Day 1960.

This year -- four children and 17 grandkids later-- they will celebrate their 53rd Valentine's Day together.

They both attended Waterford Township High School but didn't meet until Donna's sister Claudia set them up on a blind date.

"He reminded me of Buddy Holly," Donna laughed. "Now we're old, and we keep looking in the mirror and saying, 'Who are those old people? That's not us.'"

Donna said that her senior class was split into two because the class was so large. Gregory went to school in the morning, and Donna went to school in the afternoon. So each day, when Donna came into school as Gregory was leaving, he would pass her a love note.

"We would meet at the entrance," said Donna. "He would write that he missed me and that someday we would be together forever."

She said the secret to a long marriage is a sense of humor and laughing a lot, even when times get hard.

"It's been a great life," Donna said.

In love with a Marine

Oxford Township resident Lindsey Tuzik met her husband Mike in the sixth grade at Waldon Middle School 13 years ago.

Shortly after they were married, Mike was sent to Camp Pendleton in California with the Marines.

"You never know what true love is until you don't see or talk to that person every day. A lot of times we take things for granted in life, and you truly don't know what you have until it's not there. Being a wife with two kids to someone who's not around all the time is the hardest yet most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. He sacrifices so much for us," said Lindsey.

Lindsey said her husband has only met their 3-month-old Cameron a few times.

"He's going to miss (Cameron's) first steps, his first birthday, his first tooth, all of that. And to me, it takes an amazing person to go away and do something to make his kids' have a better, stable future," she said.

Lindsey said some of the reasons she loves Mike so much is because he's an amazing father and role model for their kids and is the most selfless person she has ever met. She said he treats her like it's their first date every time he sees her.

Their first child Connor was one when Mike proposed, and they were married in August of last year.

"When I walked into the house, Connor came walking up to me like he normally does when anyone comes through the door, but this time was special. Mike had made a bib that said, 'Will you Marry Daddy?' and Mike was kneeling down next to him with a ring," she said.

Lindsey said she misses seeing Mike every day and on May 9, her husband will be deployed overseas for the first time.

"He'll miss our first year anniversary and both of our sons' birthdays, but I always remind him that he's got a family who loves him to death and is always here waiting, no matter the distance or months we go without seeing each other," she said. "I am so proud of him and what he does. I am so lucky to have an amazing life partner to go through this crazy, hectic, sometimes dysfunctional thing we call our life with."

True love after divorce

After Commerce Township resident Kim Eller, 47, went through a very painful divorce, she wasn't sure she ever wanted to date again. But then she met Brad Reynolds.

"If you had asked me two years ago if there was such a thing as happily ever after, I would have laughed. But here I am today with a man that makes me smile and laugh and that I truly love," said Eller. "You have to know what you want and most importantly you have to be happy with your life before you can invite someone into it. It is possible at any age to feel butterflies again."

In the summer of 2011, Eller set up a profile on eHarmony for a one-month trial in hopes to meet a friend to be her "plus one" for social events.

"I was drawn to (Reynolds') photo and the fact that we each had two teenagers. I saw his sweet smile and beautiful eyes and something drew me to him," said Eller.

In her profile picture, Eller modeled a tiara and several strands of jewelry.

"(Reynolds) said when he saw the tiara, he thought that anyone that would wear a tiara in their profile picture had to be interesting," she said. "We met at Somerset Mall for coffee and spent the next four hours talking while our kids texted us and called repeatedly to check on us. I asked him out on a second date. We tiara girls are bold."

Eller said by the third date, Reynolds told his sisters that she was the one, and she felt the same way about him.

"We knew early on that there was something magical happening," said Eller. "I never dreamed that someone so absolutely perfect for me would be my very first match."

Eller said the most amazing thing about Reynolds is that he puts all of their children first and never complains when Friday nights are spent carpooling kids.

"Most of our dates consist of hot dogs at a Walled Lake Northern basketball game or hot chocolate at a Lake Orion band competitions. He shares my belief that we only have our kids for so long so we need to enjoy every minute of it," she said.

Before Reynolds proposed to Eller, he made sure her grandmother approved.

"She is the most important person in my life since my dad died, and (Reynolds) made sure he met her and won her over before he asked me to marry him. At our age, I thought that was incredibly romantic and sweet," said Eller. "We lost our fathers four months apart, and we like to think that they are the reason we ended up together. I wish my father could have met Brad and seen how happy he makes me."

First Valentine's Day as parents

South Lyon resident Krystine Beebe met her husband Greg in June 2006 when she was 19 years old and he was 23. They were married May 21, 2011 and had their first child Olivia on Friday, Aug. 17 of last year.

"We met at the Big Boy in Ann Arbor. It was my first day on the job. I was a hostess, and he came into the restaurant to get breakfast," said Krystine. "He told me later on that he was too nervous to give me his phone number that day so he came back in the very next day and left me his phone number."

Krystine said her favorite date was their first date.

"He took me canoeing for the very first time. The weather was beautiful, and we were just having so much fun working together and getting to know one another. He also picked me a flower from one of the plants off of the river and put it in my hair, and I thought that was so sweet," she said.

Krystine said she knew Greg was the one when she realized she couldn't imagine her life without him by her side.

"I knew he would be my husband some day. He is my best friend and first love, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store for us," she said. "I love everything about him, as corny as that sounds. I love how he makes me feel beautiful on my ugliest day, he can always make me laugh, he is loyal, caring, a wonderful father, intelligent, he encourages me to be the best person I can be, he is a sensitive guy with a tough attitude and what I love most about him is I can be my total self around him."

Online love story

Clawson resident Sherry Lazdinsh was 19 years old when her and her friend decided to make online dating profiles as a joke.

"We really didn't think you could find a boyfriend, let alone a spouse, online," said Lazdinsh.

At the time, she didn't know how wrong she was.

"My husband Edwin immigrated from Russia 10 years ago. ... I quickly fell in love with his quiet Russian accent and his calm and shy demeanor. We have been happily married almost five years and next year, I get to plan his 30th birthday," said Lazdinsh.

She said the hardest moment they ever went through together was two years ago when she had a miscarriage in her first trimester of pregnancy.

"He was the rock that held my hand when the doctor told us they could no longer find a heart beat and that our little one went to be with the angels. But he was also the same rock that held my other hand when we welcomed our daughters into this world. I can't ask for a better husband or a better father for my children," said Lazdinsh.

Lazdinsh describes her husband as compassionate, smart, witty, responsible, charming, loyal and selfless with a sense of humor.

"Sometimes I believe that the men in our life don't get all the credit they deserve but I know my hubby deserves it. He's amazing, and I am one lucky girl to have him," she said.

High school sweethearts

Emily Vickey of Madison Heights met her husband Jim 15 years ago during her senior year of high school when they worked together at an ice cream shop.

"I had a little crush on him, but then I found out my best friend did as well. Being a good friend, I decided not to pursue a relationship," said Emily. "However, a couple of days later, he asked me to go on a date with him. I was very confused and told him that I thought he liked my friend. He looked at me with a befuddled expression on his face and said, 'No, I like you.'"

Emily turned him down because she didn't want to hurt her friend.

"As luck would have it, a couple of weeks later, my best friend began to date his best friend. My husband-to-be then asked me out again," said Emily.

Four years ago, they were married, and on their wedding day, they went back to the ice cream shop where they met and fell in love.

"It is funny and quite wonderful at the same time how life works out," she said.